Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-02-09
The TEXAS PANHANDLE.
tts Peculiar. Unique aud Unrivals1
Social Institutions
variegated Population, Over which the
state of TeKss Has Virtually No Civil
or CrimiRat J1rlsdictieu-A Veri-
table Repubiic OF rOIerasiOn.
fChIcaeo IIcrald.I

table Republic OF rOieraaOn.
fChicago Herald
II the truth wore known, the Pan-TTandle
OF Texas would be voted the political, so
cial and material curiosity Of this coun-
try. There Is nothing like II in this coun-
try or any other country. il is strictly
original. stands out by itself and frcc res
on 10 its peculiaritics with a steadfast-
n css characteristic Of America in general
and Texas in particular.
The political md social condition Of
things in the Panhandle would not be
tolerated by any other State but Texas.
The Pan. Handle Ia n kind Of off-shcot Of
the State. IL docs not consider itself a
part Of tho commonwealth in good stand
Ing.
Tho Panhandle covers territory about
as large rs the State Of New York. IL ex.
tends from the Indian Territory. on tho
north, almost 20 the Texas & Pacific rail,
road, on the south, and from New Mexico,
On the west, almost 10 the Fort Worth u
DE nver railroad, on the cast. II is larger
than many European countries that sing
loud in an international chorus. Within
its confines arc mountains and forests,
lakes and streams, valleys and rivers,
iron mines, copper mines, silver mines,
coal mines that are known OF, and perhaps
much more mineral wealth that is not
known of, hamlets, ranches, caves, mcsas,
mineral springs, steep prcc. pieces, shady
groves, and many verdGnt plains.
The Pan Handle Is divided into fifty
three counties, but not more than six or
seven Ct them arc organic d. The people
Of the Panhandle have a very supreme
contempt for law, and have not much moro
use for n sheriff or any attorney than they
have for a grass burner or n cattle thief
When the word law is used il should DC
remembered that IL applies TO the enact
ments OF what tbs Panhandle folks con-
temptu ously term the Austin law fac
tory" There Ia an unwrittcn code in the
Panhandle, and woe TO the man who
violates IL. a man must not steal cattle in
the Pan-Handle; neither must nc cut
feuccs, burn grass, MI up wells with
Garth, break dams, or kill man in cold
blood. There are less than one hundred
women in the Panhandle. and they are all
good women. There are no jails in the
region, fines are looked upon with con-
tempt, and the only punishment awarded
20 those who violate tho code OF the region
Is death or expulsion. If a man kills an
other in a fight he has 20 answer before nc
law court; his right to kill a man in faiI
fight Is not questioned.
Ifs man kills another by stealth, that is,
IN he steals up behind him and plunges a
knife in his back, or shoots him unawares.
Judge Lynch Immediately takes hold Of
tho offender. administers rigid justice de-
void Of tcchnicalities or bubbles. or stays
Of proceeding, and If tho murder was cold
bloOded and cowardly the murderer Is
more certain Of being hanged than he
would be in st. LOUIS, Chicago, New York,
San Francisco New Orleans or Galveston.
IL a man is convicted OF cattle-stcaling be-
fore Judge Lynch he IL certain Of being
hanged. IL a man Is caught cutting o
fence, or setting fire to grass he Is shot
down without hesitation. or. n subsequent
" arraigned before udgc Lynch and it is
shown on testimony, direct or circumstan-
tial, that nc was guilty of the offcnse, he
will be hanged. This il about all the law
they have in the Pan Handle A man
must take care Of himself He must fight
his own battles. II he Is not able to fight,
IL he Is afraid 10 fight, il he
has any prejudice against fighting
he had better seek some other To-
cation than tho Panhandle OF Texas
for an abiding place. I'm fact, the Par
Handle might be described as one vast re-
gion devoid Of law, dcfying law, getting
along comfortably without law. Here
may be found murdcrcrs from Maine,
forgers from New York, dcfaulte-s from
Ohio, ficnds from Georgia, horsc-th.cvci
from Missouri. descrtcrs T. ON every rcgi-
mcnt in the United States army. road
agents from California, bullion thieves
from Nevada, ba llot-box suffers from Iii.
uois. scnpcd convicts from every State in
the Union. and fugitives from justice frc.l
every civilized country In the world. In
hn Ann Of l..
safe from writ, from handouts, from
the clutch OF a sheriff as IL he were q
squattcr on q quarter section in the arctic
circle. Many men with various prices or
their heads in different States OF the Tn
/ ION arc now prosperous citizens in tho
/ Panhandle OF TcXas-men who now
count their cattle by the thousands, whose
barbed wire fences measure many hun
drcd miles.
or course the great majority Of tho Pan
| Handle people are not addicted To rcminis
cencc. The man who received mail matter
from a former home in another State is
rarity. But, of course, there are excep
tons. 10 doubt many Panhandle mer
/ could prove that they are wearing thu
same name now that they inherited from
their parents. But it is not considere.
good taste in the Panhandle to be too in
4
delving into tho affairs OF another man il
almost certain 70 have a fight on his hand:
without unnecessary delay.
Nearly half the men or the region ar,
known mainly by nickname. Such ap
pcllations as Curly Bill, Broncho Joe
| Whisky Jack, Poker Dave, Irish Tim
Dutch Henry. Frenchy, Scotty, Fatty, Slim
Keno Mike and Rowdy Jim arc anon,
those frequently heard at ranches an,
other ccnters of population. Tn,
people arc social, hospitable and gen
crous. The ethical code Of the regio.
forbids any inquiry concerning q stranger
II the new arrival wants job at wire
punching or line riding it is taken fol-
granted that IL Is his intention to become
permant resident; II he loafs around with
out attempting to secure job at anything
tie becomes an object of suspicion. Dc
tectives sometimes have tho hardihood {.
penetrate the Pan. Handle, but il the,
should be suspected they are invariabl,
treated 10 hospitable graves. Detective
and law officers are not wanted and will
not ee tolerated in the Pan Handle. Tn
permanent sojourners In the region maxi
no prctense OF denying that they are ther
because OF q disagreement with the rule
of action prescribed by law In the region
wlr~icc they came. 1t is q republic o
federation, and mind your own business /
the constitution.
IN. y. Mail ana LxpressI
A TIC rmnn woman who resides at II
Belvcdcre House has music oil pigeon.
l. - l.